That Book in the Graveyard

Suspense Short Story – That Book in the Graveyard
Photo credit: jeltovski from morguefile.com

It was a solemn day. The whole atmosphere was melancholic. A death had occurred. Paul’s uncle had died and he and family members are taking him to the graveyard.

They reach there with the priest already waiting for them. The digging for forming a new grave has started with Paul looking sadly at the proceedings. Suddenly one of the worker feels something inside the ground. He tells about it to Paul & Paul asks him to keep on digging. Finally a box comes out. Paul keenly opens the box & is surprised to find a book inside it. He opens it but cannot read it since it is written in some other language. He keeps that book with him without informing anyone about it, buries his uncle, pays homage to him & returns back to his home.

Paul is a bachelor & resides with her aunt now. Her aunt has 2 children. One of them is archaeologist. He decides to show the book to him. He knocks & enters his room. Charlie sees the book & finds it interesting to read. They both close the door so that no one can disturb them. It was written in some ancient language used thousands of years ago in China. It contained hymns & chants whose meaning wasn’t even known to him but still he keeps on reading.

Suddenly they both find themselves in some other place which is compact like a room & has a door in front of them. They have no other choice but to open the door & see what lies ahead. Charlie asks Paul to open the door & look inside first. He says to him not to go inside until there is no danger inside. Paul opens the door. He can see himself as in a movie. His whole past life even his previous birth. He told Charlie that in his past life he was his father. Charlie is shocked too.
He keeps on reading the book. The first chapter ends & they are back in their room.

There is sudden knocking at the door. Paul opens the door & his aunt asks him to come down for the lunch. Paul and Charlie decide to read the second part after lunch and are excited to see what next part will bring to them. They quickly devour their food with aunt looking at them surprisingly as to what had happened to them but saying nothing.

” Now it’s time to read the second part ” , Charlie says to Paul excitedly. Charlie starts reading the second part and soon they see themselves in front of another door similar to the previous one. Paul opens the door and sees his current life even his uncle’s death. He gets to know what people think about him & his family. He also gets to know his enemies and friends. He gets to know that his uncle’s death was not an accident but a well planned murder but he doesn’t tell Charlie about it because he doesn’t want to see him in any kind of trouble. He decides to collect the proofs and hand over the culprit to the police. Charlie finishes the second chapter of the book with yet another knocking at the door.

It’s team time now & both are having tea. Paul still thinking about the third & last chapter of the book. Will it show his death & life after death? Whether to read the third chapter or not? How his aunt will react when she will get to know her husband was murdered by no one else but her own brother for the greed of property which her husband has recently bought with her brother only knowing about the deal. His thoughts are interrupted by Charlie asking him to come up to his room.

Paul enters the room. As soon as he enters Charlie starts reading the 3rd  & last chapter of the book without even giving a chance to Paul to say something. Soon they both see themselves in front of the third & last door. But this time it bears a message saying , ” No return once opened”. Charlie and Paul are shocked to see the message. They don’t know the way back home. Even the third chapter has ended. There is no other way out except to enter the door bearing the message.Charlie breaks down and blames himself for all what had happened.   He  shouldn’t have read that book. Paul consoles him and decides to open the door & see what it brings for them since they have none other option left for now.

Paul opens the door. This time both of them entering with Charlie still holding the book in his hand.  They both see their future , their marriages ,children, old age and death. After seeing all this Paul asks Charlie to tear the book into pieces. Charlie asks Paul, ” Will this work?”. Paul says that we can do nothing else but try this.  Charlie tears the book & there is a very bright light surrounding them all around. They both close their eyes.

It is a knocking sound at the door. Paul & Charlie find themselves lying on the bed as if they were in some dream. They don’t remember anything. Nothing at all of what they had seen. Charlie opens the door & his mother scolds him for being late for the dinner & for not listening to her when she was at the door. They both move downstairs for dinner.

At the dinner table Paul can feel some note kept under the dining table cover mentioning the details of his uncle’s murder in his own handwriting. He keeps it in his coat , has his dinner & goes to his room to sleep thinking ” what a strange day it is” since he doesn’t remember any activities of himself after his uncle’s burial.

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